Drama Much?
by Fiona-Badrinath
Summary: Elsa saw Dorian kissing Maia, but Maia is dating Dustin, and Dorian is dating Elsa's best friend Dalliah. The truth finally comes out at the formal dance... Role Play. Year 2040 at Hogwarts.


Fianlly, the first day of the dance arrived. Elsa had soent hours and hours, literally, preparing for this. Her dress was positioned right, her make up, perfect. Everything was ready, but now she had to wait for everyone else to gather to the scene.

Dalliah had already been informed of the going ons, but Maia, Dustin, and Dorian had no idea. They were about to get a big surprise. Elsa planned to ruin Maia and Dustin's relationship, and probably Dorian and Dalliah's too. Of course Elsa naturally didn't want to ruin her best friends relationship, but when he was kissing other girls that were already taken, she wasn't about to let them be happily ever after.

Dorian was the only one that was screwed either way. Dustin lost his girlfriend, Maia was going to lose Dustin, and Dalliah, her ball date. dorian however, was here with Dalliah, and was probably going to lose Maia too, after it all came out. There's no way she would stick with him after their "affair" came out, and he showed up to the ball with another girl. _"Maia had to have some kind of sense dosnt she?"_

All in all, Elsa would win again. Dustin would be hurt, so Eddie would be all over the scene naurally. Maia and Dorian would be out of the picture now. Not that she particularly had anything against them, but they both cheated on someone close to her. Dustin was the best friend of Eddie, so he was like family to Elsa, whether she showed it or not. With Eddie helping Dustin out, he wouldn't be all over Sam all night, and Elsa would have all kinds of attention on her yet again. It was perfect. For her atleast.

Dustin:

Although Dustin seemed to be better when it came to girls (at least in Eddie's mind, apparently), he would never claim to be the best when it came to dressing for something like the ball. "Black-tie affairs", as they were so aptly named, made him crazy. He didn't really like the proper dress and all that sort of stuff -- he was perfectly happy with a sport jacket, nice shirt and a loose tie. But looking at himself in the mirror before heading downstairs to the dance, in his tuxedo and all, Dustin couldn't help but think _I look good._

Smiling a little, he ran a hand through his hair -- he tended to do that when he was a bit nervous. And it didn't look half bad either; at least it distinguished him from all the other guys.

He saw Maia waiting when he came down, and she took his breath away. Her dress was gorgeous, but it was her eyes that made him stare. Of course he'd noticed them before -- eyes tended to be the first thing Dustin noticed in a girl -- but they were especially beautiful now. Great dark orbs shining at him. _I'm the luckiest no matter what she says,_ he thought fervently.

"Shall we dance?" he asked, holding out an arm to her.

Maia:

Maia hadn't spent all that long getting ready, unlike her other dorm- mates. It had been very amusing, watching them rush around trying to perfect their hair, make-up and such. She had simply sat on her bed, observing them with bright eyes. Then, fifteen minutes before the ball was scheduled to begin, Maia had slipped into her silky red dress, let her long, wavy black hair down to frame her thin face, and gone downstairs. _Sometimes waiting until the last minute actually does turn out to be beneficial..._

And so there she now stood, swaying gently to the music that filtered into the hallway from outside, while waiting for Dustin. Maia knew she probably should have felt some sort of anxiety or nervousness, but she was strangely at ease.

After brushing the hair out of her eyes, Maia turned to see Dustin on his way down. She felt a rush of guilt and affection at the same time. Dustin looked really, well, _good_, but every time she laid eyes on him now, a twinge of guilt stabbed at her heart. He was just so _amazing_, and she knew he was much too good for her, especially after the little episode with Dorian.

_"Shall we dance?"_ Dustin asked, holding out an arm to her.

Maia smiled, and took Dustin's arm. She would allow nothing to ruin this night, not even her own guilt. It wouldn't be fair, for her to spoil both of their evenings being sullen and guilt-ridden. Not only would that be absolutely no fun at all, but it would also arouse suspicion from Dustin. And she most certainly didn't want that.

"We shall." She replied, almost laughing at the classic moment that had just occurred. It reminded her of all the old movies her Father and his brothers always watched at family gatherings. Her thoughts drifted as they walked toward the dance floor, and she simply let the music overtake her mind.

Zach:

He was to meet Mackenzie at the Ball. But where exactly? They had forgotten that. However, Zach figured the Entrance Hall would be a good spot. Considering they both had Common Rooms in the lower levels of the school, they would be need to pass through the Entrance Hall to enter the Courtyard and in turn the grounds.

As such, Zach leaned his form against the railing of the staircase leading up, his body positioned to give him view of the stairs leading downwards. The Slytherin Lad had cleaned up nicely in his tuxedo. The tux was a black in coloring with dark emerald lining, vest, and tie. His hair he had gelled to spike slightly.

Crossing his arms over his chest, he waited for Mackenzie. He didn't know how long he would have to wait. However, he did not mind the wait. Zach did not often become nervous but he was feeling the flutterings of butterflies in his stomach. It was an odd sensation, one he wasn't accustom to. How did one make them go away?

Dorian:

Dorian stood on the edge of the dance floor waiting for another song to begin -- or rather, the band to start a new song, because there was a band. His arm curved around Dalliah's back, falling to rest his hand comfortably at her waist.

"By the way," he said quietly, "you look absolutely stunning." He liked the short black dress she had chosen; Dalliah was the type of girl who looked good no matter what she wore, but tonight she was especially gorgeous.

A new song began, not too fast and not too slow. Perfect for what he wanted to do: lose himself in Dalliah's bottomless bright eyes. Weaving through the other students dancing, he found a bit of a clearing in the crowd. Both hands settled on Dalliah's waist, and they began to revolve on the spot.

"Are you enjoying the night?" he asked, wishing to himself that it could go on forever.

Dalliah:

"By the way," he said quietly, "you look absolutely stunning."

Dalliah looked over at him. _I'm glad, it took me forever . . ._ After the time she had spent there, Dalliah still wasn't used to the way the guys at Hogwarts did things. Everything they said sounded perfectly placed, unlike the American boys with their phrases of 'yea, son!' ((The most annoying phrase ever!)) and the ever-annoying 'dude'. The way American boys dressed, even worse, stupid hats, and huge jewelry, and, ugh!

It was kind of to the point where Dalliah didn't want to think about it anymore. She was here, with Dorian. He had his arm around her, and, "you look great too." She whispered back, and actually, he looked more than great, he looked hot.

Dalliah followed him through the crowd, like when she had met him, and she draped her arms around his neck, wishing he wasn't wearing so many layers. In that, Dalliah meant that it may be better if this whole thing was casual; not that dressed up didn't make this less fun.

"Are you enjoying the night?"

"Of course. I'm here with you." She said.

Elsa:

It was time. The board was set. All that was left was for Elsa to make her move. Dalliah was with Dorian, waiting for the signal. Maia and Dustin were dancing, clueless as to what was about to happen. Afterall, Maia and Dorian had no idea she was watching. Otherwise they may have left it at hello.

Elsa knew as well as anyone what she had to do. It was her dream, but breaking her heart at the same time. She'd be ruining three different relationships, but she'd be setting the ground for hers.

She looked up at Maia and Dustin, glanced at the band, then back again. As Elsa walked past Dorian and Dalliah, she nodded her ehad at Dalliah. Which meant there was no turning back now. She had to do it.

"So, I see you two are still together?" She asked the Gryffindor couple slyly.

Dustin:

_"So, I see you two are still together?"_

Dustin was interrupted from his and Maia's dancing when a girl's voice inquired near them. He rolled his eyes. _Not her. Not now..._ Looking up, he saw who he'd known was there: Elsa Abbey, the "snobby Hufflepuff girl" he and Eddie were always picking on. She deserved anything they gave her, anyway, so there was no harm in it.

"Yes, you do," he said shortly, still holding Maia's hand. "It seems you aren't as slow as they say. What do you want?"

The girl was there to cause trouble, no doubt about that at all. That was what she lived for. Of course, he and Eddie lived to cause trouble as well, but theirs never seemed to be as harmful as her own. Elsa thrived on gossip and drama, instead of practical jokes, but Dustin was sure nothing she said would spoil this night for him.

Maia:

"So, I see you two are still together?"

Maia was jerked out of her thoughts by a snooty voice near she and Dustin. She turned to see Elsa Abbey standing before them, looking quite comical in her frilly dress. _Oh, joy._ She thought, trying her best not to look displeased at seeing the Hufflepuff girl.

She then pondered what Elsa had meant by her sly comment. What was the snob up to now? What evil plan was brewing in her mind now? Maia could see it in Elsa's eyes, which were twinkling with the knowledge of some type of 'thrilling' new gossip.

"Yes, you do," Dustin said shortly, still holding Maia's hand. "It seems you aren't as slow as they say. What do you want?"

Maia pursed her lips to keep from laughing, but couldn't keep a small smile from creeping onto her face.

"Hello, Elsa." Maia said, flashing what she hoped was a relatively friendly smile. Even if Dustin wasn't going to make any effort to be somewhat polite to the other girl, she herself was going to try not to be rude. That would only be stooping down to Elsa's level, something she definitely wanted to avoid.

With a curious expression, Maia waited to hear Elsa's response to Dustin's earlier question. What did the drama-loving girl want?

Mackenzie:

Mackenzie twirled and danced around her dormitory happily in her beautiful deep purple dress. Tonight was the night of the ball, something that she normally wouldn't consider attending. But this time Mackenzie was actually going, and she was excited and eager to go. She had gotten asked, and tonight she had a date to this well anticipated ball. Mackenzie sighed and closed her eyes. _This is going to be a fun night… _She laid herself down on her large four-poster bed and imagined herself and Zach dancing all night and having a great time. _Perfect,_ she thought.

After a few minutes of thinking about the ball, Mackenzie got back up deciding she should probably finish getting ready. She did her makeup and put up her hair, then stepped back to view herself in the mirror.

Mackenzie made her way down the corridor. She could feel her anxiousness and nervousness building up inside her. By time she came to the top of the stairs leading down to the entrance hall, she felt she was going to burst of excitement. As she started down the stairs, she couldn't help but grin as she saw Zach leaning against the railing of the staircase. _He looks good..._, Mackenzie noted. "Hi," she said shyly, now at the bottom of the steps. "Sorry if I've kept you waiting," she said still keeping her smile.

Eddie:

_Here goes nothing,_ Eddie thought to himself, as he walked through the castle. It had really been only a few days since he'd summon up the courage to ask Sam to the ball, and unbelievable, she'd not gotten a date. Eddie had, when he'd asked, found it rather stunning to hear that she'd accepted and not turned him down over another guy. However, he did not dwell on it too long. He was just glad she'd accepted.

Eddie hadn't really put that much of an effort in what he wore. His hair was as always, lose and casual. He wore a tuxedo, however he'd taken off the bow and left the two first buttons unbuttoned, he couldn't stand having something on his neck. He felt as if he couldn't' breath. However, spite this, he looked quite handsome, and as he walked, he caught some younger girls staring.

Eddie didn't see any point in over-dressing. He wanted to stay as he were, he wanted to be himself. Even though he wanted to look good for Sam, he still needed to be himself. The tuxedo had to be enough for him.

He were to meet Sam down where the events where happening, by the dance floor. He walked fast there, catching a glimpse of Dustin and his girlfriend, Maia, dancing. He was glad for his mate.

As Eddie stood by the dance floor waiting, he suddenly caught the eye of Sam, walking towards him. He had to keep himself from gawking as she was so beautiful.

"Hi," he said to her as she walked up to him. "You look gorgeous," he breathed with a smile. He was too occupied with Sam, that he failed to notice that Elsa had walked up to Dustin and Maia.

Elsa:

Now was the time. Was Elsa going to choke? Dalliah was there to back her up, but only she could say what's going on. Dalliah couldn't do it for her. And none of the rest of them knew what was going to happen this night. Elsa managed to speak up, with Eddie on her mind, keeping her going. "Well, I just thought you might want to date a girl who only kisses you." There it was out. If it weren't for the fact that it was almost cold, being spring, and this new deoderant she was so proud of finding, she would have been sweating like a pig. Though she was internally. This was big. Bigger than anything she'd ever done before. There were five different relationships at stake here! Maia and Dustin, Dorain and Dalliah, and Dorian and Maia obviously, but there was also the Eddie and Sam, and Eddie and Elsa possiblities too. Would Eddie really see what Elsa was tring to do? She was helping for once. Though it may have seemed like she was just doing it to get a rise out of everyone, and keep the spot light on herself, she was doing it for other reasons too. Like Dalliah. They were best friends. Best friends can't let best friends date man whores. _"Must keep that in mind. Can't go back now..."_

Now Elsa's heart was racing. All she could do was wait for everyoen to react. Would Maia and Dorian admit it? Would she be blammed for lying? Or even blammed for it happening in the first place? Eddie did have some grudge against her. He did have the mind to make it her fault. It was always her fault. The library. The courtyard. All the things that happened last year, and the year before. Eddie always blamed her, when really he did have a huge part in it too. IT was breaking Elsa's heart. That's why she was doing it. To prevent furture heart break. What if Dustin or Dalliah had found out, say monthes later, after a long deep relationship? Then where would Elsa be? Picking up the pieces. Not a thing in the world she could do to help her best friend, or the love of her life's best friend. Niether of them could say a word to her without throwing her misery in her face. Elsa had rested on the fact that she'd just have to remain heartbroken.

Zach:

At the sound of footsteps sounding on the stairs above him, Zach turned his face from his feet to train his gaze upon the figure coming down the stairs. He gave a pause as his eyes swept over the figure of the young lady descending. His date. She looked beautiful. It was that simple. There was no over thinking in the Slytherin lad's mind, just that she looked so lovely. Zach had known Mackenzie was cute but his mind had never prepared him for this. The girl had definitely been hiding her beauty.

"Hello Lovely Lady," Zach stated smoothly, a smile touching his lips. "May I say how beautiful you look," he added as he offered her his arm so they may progress to the Ball area. "The wait was nothing compared to the privileged of seeing you descend those steps and knowing that you're my date," he stated seriously, responding to her inquiry about keeping him waiting.

With Mackenzie on his arm, Zach entered the area of the Ball. His eyes had barely glanced over the area before he noticed the group on the dance floor. He recognized the majority of the people present in it. "Isn't that your friend?" he questioned, motioning the group to Mackenzie with a curious gaze.

Dustin:

_"Well, I just thought you might want to date a girl who only kisses you."_

Dustin's gray eyes narrowed. _Who only kisses... what??_ He didn't believe her. He had no reason to. Elsa was just stirring up trouble. Like always. Now was no different. But some tiny shred nagged at Dustin's mind. Why would she say something like that?

"What are you talking about?" he asked coolly, noting out of the corner of his eye that Eddie was near. He knew what Eddie would do if he were in this situation -- just pull off soome smartass comment to her, like always. Well, no. Perhaps not. Eddie didn't have a girlfriend, so he'd never been in a situation like this before. Dustin would just have to figure it out himself.

"Well? Out with it, already."

Maia:

_"Well, I just thought you might want to date a girl who only kisses you."_

Maia's breath caught in her throat, and her eyes widened to twice their normal size. _She couldn't possibly..._ How? How in the world could Elsa possibly know? Maia forced her self to remain calm. Perhaps this was all just coincidence. Perhaps, Elsa was just trying to wreak false havoc upon she and Dustin's relationship. But somehow, she doubted there wasn't a reason behind the Hufflepuff's sudden interest in them. _How can this be happening?! Everything is supposed to be perfect! Why would fate be so cruel as to ruin my relationship on this supposed-to-be magical evening?!_

_Calm yourself, Maia. You're overreacting, once again._ She knew that she had a tendency to take things way out of proportion, even without the full story. It was quite easy for her to keep cool about minor issues, or things that didn't mean much to her, but this was beyond important. Still, she wasn't aware of Elsa's true intentions. It was possible that the snobby girl was not referring to when she had kissed Dorian, and everything was completely fine. _That's right, always remain positive. Optimism is the key._

Keeping her face free of any untamed emotion, Maia glanced over at Dustin. Honestly, she was at a loss for words. Nothing, clever nor dumb, came to her.

_"What are you talking about?"_ Dustin asked coolly, obviously not taking what Elsa said seriously.

Maia bit her lip, a bad habit, and waited for Elsa to respond. She wasn't actually sure whether she even _wanted_ to hear the other girl's reply. But it was too late now. There was no getting around it.

_"Well? Out with it, already."_

_Argh..._ Maia continued to wait for Elsa to speak, apprehension forming a large knot in her stomach. The situation most definitely wasn't working in her favor. She would consider herself lucky if Elsa didn't reveal the information that Maia was struggling to keep secret.

Elsa:

Elsa couldn't help but smile. The doubt she had moments before was gone. Maia was realising her relationship was over. She could see it in her face, as she began to bite her lip. With all confidence, and Dalliah there to back her up, Elsa was ready to make for the front line. Maia had cheated on him. That's all she had to say, but she of course, had to spice it up, get some reactions. "Well it just so happens, Someone around here witnessed Maia here kissing, Dorian." That was what Elsa was going to leave it at. For now. Someone would reply, and not believe her, but she wasn't going to say anything to make her look stupid until they believed her.

Hopefully Dalliah got the cue, and would began to show her anger for Dorian. If not, she might be in a bit of trouble. When Elsa claimed something, and Dalliah didn't know about it, she had made it up. They share everything, and everyone knew it. So they could easily tell when she was just blabbing on. This was not the time for Dalliah to play stupid. There were times, and Elsa and Dalliah used the time well, but it was not now. Now was the time to act seriously. There was something going on now that couldn't be stopped. The pieces were falling together, and all Elsa did was let a few words out to the right ears. Now Maia and Dorian had the explaining to do.

Mackenzie:

"_Hello Lovely Lady,"_ Zach stated smoothly, a smile touching his lips. _"May I say how beautiful you look," _he added as he offered her his arm so they may progress to the Ball area. Mackenzie blushed slightly, but kept her eyes on Zach. 

"Thanks," she said, smiling. "And may I say how handsome you look yourself," Mackenzie replied, observing how good he looked. She couldn't believe that he had asked her to the ball in the first place. Many girls would be more than happy to go with Zach, and yet he had asked Mackenzie. Mackenzie took Zach's arm and they headed out to the grounds, where the ball was to be held.

_"The wait was nothing compared to the privileged of seeing you descend those steps and knowing that you're my date," _he stated. If Mackenzie blushing wasn't noticeable before, she was sure it was now. _I'm lucky to be going with Zach_, Mackenzie thought. She had only met Zach somewhat recently and she knew that she already liked him. "Thanks," she said again quietly. She didnt know what else to say, so she just left it that. 

As they entered the ball area Mackenzie's dark eyes scanned the grounds as she took in the beautiful scene. The place seemed to have a romantic and fun atmosphere to it, and it looked beautiful. "Wow. They did a good job with the decorations and making this place look nice," Mackenzie said quietly, watching couples dance and talk for a moment.

_"Isn't that your friend?" he questioned, motioning the group to Mackenzie with a curious gaze. _Mackenzie looked to where Zach fad motioned and she grinned as she saw her best friend, Maia, with a few other people with her. She recognized Dustin by her side and they were talking to a fellow fourth year Hufflepuff which Mackenzie knew was Elsa She wondered why they were talking to Elsa. Mackenzie knew that Elsa was a bit of a snob and only brought trouble.

"Yeah…yeah that's Maia," Mackenzie replied watching them talk. Then a thought came to her. Maia didn't even know that Mackenzie was attending the ball, let alone with a date. She smiled again and turned her gaze to look back up to Zach. "C'mon, do you want to meet her?" Mackenzie asked excitedly. She grabbed his hand and pulled him through the crowd of people towards Dustin, Maia, and Elsa.

As Mackenzie and Zach neared the group she paused apprehensively. Elsa being there only meant trouble and Mackenzie felt a hint of concern. _"Well it just so happens, some one around here witnessed Maia here kissing, Dorian."_ Mackenzie froze and her eyes widened as she heard Elsa say this. She couldn't have possibly have heard that right. _Yes…that's it. Maia wouldn't cheat on Dustin. No…she wouldn't. Elsa must be lying. After all, she is one that would lie to just to ruin a relationship for her own amusement._ Mackenzie gave Zach a worried look before she stepped forward beside Maia. "Maia, what's going on?" she asked, giving her friend a small smile.

Sam:

It didn't take long for Sam to get her dress on, it took her longer to actually get herself out of the dorm room, but she knew she had to do this for Eddie, if not herself, she had accepted. Sam wouldn't have gone alone. The grounds in the dark, alone, no. She wouldn't have been able to do that and remain sane.

Having gotten to the entrance to the ball, after running there, Sam stepped 'into' the ball itself. She was a part of it, a sea of ruffles from dresses, and tuxedos, yet didn't feel like a part of it. She was herself in this wonderful happy mess.

Sam felt like the princess Christopher had always insisted she was. This sadness lingered for only a moment; she walked over to Eddie, who must have seen her after she had.

"You look gorgeous,"

"No," she answered modestly. "But you look great." Sam couldn't help but smile, he had probably been asked by so many girls, but why had he chosen her?

Sam noticed something going on, and Elsa seemed to be in the middle of it. "Hey, Eddie, do you think there's something going on over there?"

Eddie:

_No, but you look great._ Sam smiled. Eddie couldn't help but to let a small smile grace his lips and a small laugh escape them. He really was charming when he smiled. No wonder some girls found him rather attractive.

"I won't really claim to look all that good. I've hardly dressed up as much as other guys," Eddie said, referring to his unbuttoned shirt and his _missing_ tie or bow. However, he did smile. "And don't be so modest," he added silently. "I really do think you look beautiful, Sam," Eddie said, looking into her eyes. Her silvery eyes.

He didn't understand where it all came from. How could he find the strength to say what he said? However, before contemplating any further, Eddie caught Sam's distracted eyes. _Hey, Eddie, do you think there's something going on over there?_

"Huh?" Eddie turned around and blinked. _I can't believe she's here to ruin this night as well... _Eddie thought bitterly to himself. However, he glanced briefly at Sam. He couldn't let Elsa ruin their night.

Looking closer, Eddie saw that there was quite a lot of people over there now. Dustin and Maia, Elsa and Mackenzie. He looked at Sam. "With Elsa, there's always something going on," Eddie muttered as he grabbed Sam's hand. "Let's see what's up," he said.

Spite his sort of low and irritated voice, over Elsa, Eddie couldn't help but to feel the electric jolt he got as he grabbed Sam's hand. He'd never felt like this before, butterflies in his stomach without it being a Quidditch game to play. No, this was a different kind of butterflies. It was only too mad that they were going to end the second he let go of her.

So, as the two of them walked over to Dustin and the others, Eddie simply decided not to let go of her hand, even though they'd stopped and stood by the others. Ignoring the butterflies and staying cool, Eddie tapped Dustin on his back with his free hand. "Oy, Dustin. What's happening here?" he spoke low, flashing Elsa an unreadable look.

Dalliah:

Dalliah stepped away from Dorian as soon as the words escaped Elsa's mouth. Elsa had expected Dalliah to do something after all. But even so, there was a part of her that didn't want to do what Elsa expected her to do. Surprisingly, or maybe not, she didn't want to do thins, or the part of her that didn't want to do this was a bit stronger than the part that did.

_I have no idea what I'm going to do, but I have to decide. Oh, I don't know!_ Dalliah almost stomped her foot in frustration, but caught herself.

She realized the silence, Elsa was waiting for her, to elevate the problem further, but what about everyone else, were they waiting too? "What?!" Dalliah spat the word out in the only way she could that sounded completely angry, surprised, and confused, but mostly angry.

Dalliah tried to take a quick glance at the people around her, and her eyes landed on Maia's boyfriend; she was pretty sure his name was Dustin, in fact, she knew his name was Dustin. Yet, he would remain Maia's boyfriend when she talked about him, she blamed some of this on him. She shoot him a look, not quite sympathetic, just simply _"why"_.

_Why isn't Maia's boyfriend getting mad? Shouldn't he be mad? Is he too Gryffindor, soft and cuddly, to get mad? He is a Gryffindor, but I'd be mad if, wait, I'm kind of not, but . . ._

Dalliah needed more time. But Dalliah didn't want Dorian to receive all the heat, if her tongue slipped, and she said something she shouldn't have. _I'm going to want to be able to take to him sometime later,_ Dalliah wasn't going to throw him away, knowing herself she'd probably want him back.

So she sent a single angry glare at Maia, that pretty much said _yeah, it's all your fault_. But really, would anyone expect her to do anything different? She was Dalliah, and the most important thing to her was herself, then whatever else afterward. She would honestly admit to that herself, a cool smirk would be upon her face the whole time.

But Dalliah was there, in it for herself, ready to say more later if need be. She didn't want to make Elsa angry, so she would have to do what the girl expected.

Zach:

Zach followed Mackenzie over to the group of people that had been forming. The group seemed to be getting bigger by the minute Zach observed when two more people joined shortly after he and Mackenzie did. It seemed that some sparks were going to be flying. Zach observed this just from the expressions he was seeing on people's faces: smug, shock, surprise, confusion, curiousity...

As Mackenzie moved towards Maia, Zach followed a few steps, staying near her. However, his attention be divided between her and Maia and what was going on with the rest of the group. The tension seemed to be growing thicker by each action the people involved made. If it got any thicker, Zach was sure one could cut it like butter.

His eyes however, eventually found the focus of the group, a Hufflepuff ... The source it seemed. Zach could not be sure, but it seemed as if she was holding every one's strings, so to speak. It was there in her body language ... even her eyes ... if one looked close enough ... or knew what to look for. Perhaps Zach only saw it because he was an outsider to this group. He had never mingled with these people until this moment...

Dustin:

_"Well it just so happens... Someone around here witnessed Maia here kissing Dorian."_

The statement hit him like a ton of bricks. Dustin's eyes instinctively narrowed at the Hufflepuff girl. She was known for telling lies, so why should he believe her now? But then again... there was a slightly triumphant note in her voice that wasn't usually in there. He didn't know what to do.

Just then he noticed a Slytherin girl -- he was pretty sure her name was Dalliah -- walking over. At Elsa's comment, the girl exploded. _"What?!"_ she cried. It was as if Elsa had expected her to do something. And that was probably it; Elsa was good at manipulating people that way. But his attention was diverted when he saw who was behind her: Dorian. Best known as the Slytherin womanizer. Seeing him here made Dustin's rock-hard belief that Maia would have nothing to do with him begin to crumble. Sure, he was good-looking and all that... But was that really what she wanted? He didn't know anymore.

He felt a small tap on the shoulder and heard Eddie's low voice in his ear. "Oy Dustin, what's going on here?" Looking around, he saw that Eddie and Sam were both there. _Great. Now it's gonna be a spectacle, no matter what happens. And it won't be funny._

"I really don't know," he replied out of the corner of his mouth. "Trying to sort it out."

Dustin looked from Elsa to Maia to Dorian. His mind was reeling.

"I want to know what's going on here," he said softly, his growing anger carefully concealed behind a wall of calmness. "Maia, please..."

Dorian:

Dorian followed Dalliah, still holding her hand, as they came to where Elsa was standing. _What the hell?_ There was a cluster of people, and it seemed to be growing by the minute. Maia and Dustin, with her friend Mackenzie and his housemate Zach behind them, Eddie Lucas and Samantha Devlin on Dustin's other side... and now he and Dalliah added to the mix. _Wonderful. Just swell._

They stood there watching Elsa for a moment, then Dalliah let loose. _"What?!"_she exclaimed. Wait a second. Were they waiting for her instead? He wasn't sure, but his gaze flickered carefully from Dustin to Maia to Elsa and back to Maia.

_"Well it just so happens... Someone around here witnessed Maia here kissing Dorian."_ Of course. Leave it to Elsa, the gossip queen. How the hell had she found out? _Well, she has her ways... sneaky little vixen that she is,_ he thought. His face remained calm, waiting for someone to speak. And it just so happened that Dustin turned to Maia for an explanation.

Dorian didn't want her to take all the blame for it, but he didn't want to say anything too soon and end up taking all the blame himself. So he waited, eyes attentively on her, intent on seeing what she would do.

Maia:

_"Well it just so happens, someone around here witnessed Maia kissing Dorian."_

_BOOM!_ The bomb was dropped. Elsa let it fall with triumph evident in her smug tone, for she was looking quite pleased with herself. Maia could not say she felt the same way. She had been expecting this statement to come out eventually, but hadn't prepared herself for it in any way. It was like an electric shock, jerking her free spirit back down to earth with much cruelty.

_No. No, no, no. This is not happening... How did she find out???_ Maia simply stared at Elsa unblinkingly for a moment, not sure how to react. This was impossible. It was not happening. She was just barely beginning to get Dorian out of her mind, just starting to free herself from his clutches, and now this. There was always something there to remind her of him. Why was this happening? What had she done to deserve this?

And yet, Maia knew the answer to that question. This whole entire disaster that was unfolding before her very eyes was the fault of one person, and one person only. Herself. _She_ was the one who was going to lose her boyfriend, _she_ was the one who would now be labeled as something she had not ever intended. But she herself was the only one to blame for that. Sure, Dorian had made the first move, but she hadn't exactly done much to stop him. And then she had kissed him in the end. Not forcefully, but of her own free will.

Now, she was going to face the consequences for that action. That action of such stupidity, it was unfathomable. She had betrayed Dustin. She was one of them now. One of those girls, the women that couldn't commit to one person if their life depended on it. The ones that hurt the person that had given everything they could in the relationship, only to be brutally stabbed in the back. Without even a thought, Maia had ruined everything, for herself, for Dustin, and probably for Dorian and the girl he supposedly was now dating. _That_ was truly something to be ashamed of.

_"Maia, what's going on?"_

Maia whipped around. She recognized that voice. Much to her great shock, it was Mackenzie. With a guy. Normally, she would've been jumping for joy at seeing her friend. She hadn't even known Mackenzie was going to attend the ball, much less with a date. But right now, she wanted to simply walk over to the nearest brick wall and clonk her head on it. Maybe that would knock some sense into her, because she obviously hadn't been thinking clearly that morning on the grounds when Dorian had shown up.

"My stupidity is being shown for everyone to see, my friend." She replied, eyes dark. Her normally cheerful tone was flat and dead. This was a cursed night, by her standards.

And she waited. This had obviously been planned. Another one of dear Elsa's oh so _bright_ ideas. Maia gritted her teeth, trying very hard not to blame the Hufflepuff snob for this. Saying she was simply angry was an understatement. Elsa had no business in her relationship with Dustin, had no right at all to go blurting things about her to him. Although, there was no taking it back now. The truth had been revealed.

Suddenly, several people showed up at once. Eddie, Dustin's best friend and fellow prankster, Sam, who she assumed was his date, and Dorian. Dorian and another girl, who looked quite outraged and voiced this by exclaiming, _"What?!"_

The older girl set her eyes on Maia, a glare evident on her face. Maia returned the hostile glance with a similar expression, crossing her arms. She was not going to be intimidated by this girl. If Dorian's date wanted to cause trouble, to go on a rampage, so be it. Maia could fight right back and put all of the rage bubbling up inside of her to use.

_"I want to know what's going on here,"_ Dustin said softly, _"Maia, please..."_

Maia felt all of the anger she had just been harboring inside quickly dissolve. She looked at Dustin, and bit her lip with such force she winced and hoped blood hadn't been drawn. This was it. Surely Dustin would never want to have anything to do with her after this. She had lied to him, betrayed his trust, and stabbed him in the back. And now, she was going to break his heart. Shatter it to pieces, like a glass dove being smashed by a sledge-hammer.

She could feel everyone's eyes on her. Eight different pairs of eyes, all settled on her. Normally, Maia would've enjoyed all the attention, but not then. This was not the sort of attention she liked to be smothered with. This was the negative sort.

Forcing herself to ignore everyone else, Maia turned her attention to Dustin. She wracked her brain for something to say, anything at all that would break the news without breaking _him._ Maia knew this event probably marked the last time she would ever be romantically linked to Dustin. Why would he still want to date her, after this? It wouldn't make any sense. First, she had lost her grandfather. Now, she was going to lose Dustin.

Maia drew in a shaky breath, as a knot began to form in her throat. She had to keep telling herself this was necessary, so she wouldn't break down completely. Everything was falling apart, and there was nothing she could do to prevent it.

"What Elsa said is true, Dustin..." She paused, then added, "I did kiss Dorian... And it's all my fault. I ruined everything. I've poisoned our relationship, and everything we have... Well, had. And I don't expect you to forgive me. I understand completely, if you never want to see me again..."

Maia then turned away, not able to look into his eyes. _This is so dramatic..._ Much more so than she liked. It was painfully similar to one of those muggle soap operas that people got so wrapped up in.

Summoning every last bit of Gryffindor courage she possessed, Maia turned to look at Dorian's date. Dalliah, she believed the girl's name was. Now that she really got a chance to look at the older girl, it was easy to pin the name to the face. Maia inhaled deeply, then sighed. She knew what she had to do, before her guilty conscious would give her a break.

"Dalliah..." Maia simply stated the girl's name, both her tone and facial expression unreadable. "I would like to apologize to you... For putting your relationship with Dorian in any sort of danger. I never meant to cause any trouble, but the blame for this entire disaster cannot be placed upon anyone but me." Maia paused, aware that she was taking all the heat. But she felt it was a necessary action. Her relationship was going to be ruined, that was for sure, but there was still a chance she could save Dorian and Dalliah's.

"So, again, I'm sorry for any pain that my stupidity and selfishness has caused you. I sincerely hope that you, and Dorian, can put this all behind you and not let it ruin your relationship."

Maia let her light green eyes travel over the many faces before her, as she tucked a stray strand of long, way black hair behind her ear.

"Excuse me for a moment." She stated calmly, then turned on her heel and began walking swiftly off the dance floor. There. She had said it. Now, she had to be alone for a brief moment. She just had to get away from all of them to think about what she had just done. It would certainly change things.

Once she was a fair distance away from the ball scene, in the darkness of the night, Maia walked over to a tree near the lake and leaned against it. The cool bark felt good against her exposed skin, soothing her. She could feel hot tears running down her face, leaving warm, sticky trails on her cheeks. Maia was glad she hadn't worn any make-up, because it would have been ruined by her stream of flowing tears.

"I am such an idiot..." She murmured to herself, holding out her hand as a tear fell into her palm. Maia stared down at the small water droplet, then pressed her index finger against it. The water scattered, then melted into her dark skin. "Everyone must pay the price for their actions..."

Dustin:

_"What Elsa said is true, Dustin..." She paused, then added, "I did kiss Dorian... And it's all my fault. I ruined everything. I've poisoned our relationship, and everything we have... Well, had. And I don't expect you to forgive me. I understand completely, if you never want to see me again..."_

She was past the point of being upset. Maia, the girl he'd fallen in love with at first sight, was wallowing in despair. He wanted to hold her, his instincts told him that was what she needed, but he couldn't move. His entire body was rigid. He vaguely heard her apologizing to Dalliah, and he wondered in a haze why she was doing that. It wasn't as if she'd done anything to their relationship; everyone at school knew Dorian's reputation.

_"Excuse me for a moment."_

And then he felt her hand leave his, and something snapped. Dustin raced after her as if she were heading toward the apocalypse, but he still couldn't catch her until he was safely past the other students crowding the dance floor. Looking around almost wildly, he finally saw her leaning against a tree.

_"Everyone must pay the price for their actions..."_ he barely heard her say.

His warm hands were on her shoulders, comforting. "Maia..." was all he could say. "Maia... it's..." he couldn't say it was okay. He himself was still in shock.

"Please," he finally said. "Please tell me you love me."

Since when had he needed to hear something as simple as that? It sounded like something you'd hear in corny movies, but he didn't care. He was beyond caring. Maia was upset, and he couldn't bear that.

Dorian:

Dorian listened to everything Maia said, his heart an aching stone inside his chest.

_"Dalliah..." Maia simply stated the girl's name, both her tone and facial expression unreadable. "I would like to apologize to you... For putting your relationship with Dorian in any sort of danger. I never meant to cause any trouble, but the blame for this entire disaster cannot be placed upon anyone but me. So, again, I'm sorry for any pain that my stupidity and selfishness has caused you. I sincerely hope that you, and Dorian, can put this all behind you and not let it ruin your relationship."_

He was thrown, needless to say, when she offered Dalliah such a long apologetic explanation. That part of the deal was by _no_ means her fault at all. That had been _his_ overactive... self. But he waited a second too long to stand up for it, because she walked quickly away, trying not to cause any more of a scene than had already ocurred. A second later, Dustin tore after her. As expected, really.

Dorian would have gone after her himself, of course, but that would make things even worse; Dustin would probably haul off and curse him -- or try, anyway -- and then Dalliah would be mad and everything too. So he stayed where he was, and his only regret was that he had passed on the chance to free Maia from the pile of blame she was under. _She didn't even look at me..._

He turned to look at Dalliah instead. "She's right, I suppose," he said in a low voice, perfectly aware of the fact that Mackenzie and Eddie could still be around. But his face was a tiny bit troubled, all the same. "You do know I love you, right? All of this --" he waved a hand in the air "-- all of it happened before I'd even met you."

Elsa:

And it had begun. This was a long hard road Elsa had chosen to follow, and drag several other people with her, but all she could do now was endure it. To be climbing Mount Everest with her bare hands was easier than this to Elsa. She did love to make a scene, but that was fading. Her heart was growing more and mroe fond of Eddie everyday, and it was getting so hard to hold it in. Now she just ruined someone else. She tried to tell herself it was the right thing to do. _"What if they had gotten married and it came out later?"_ Though she knew she deserved whatever came at her for this. All the hopes and dreams she had sent into the sky were crashing. Eddie would never love her they way she did him. He would probably never even like her. And she deserved it.

With the events in mind, Elsa began to slip into the background. It was now up to Maia and Dustin, and Dorian and Dalliah to work things out. She had played her part. The burden was gone, but the ring still laid upon her neck. She would have to deal with this for the rest of her Hogwarts career, but it was something that had to be done. She wasn't makign any new friends any time soon, so it might as well have been her. Or so she told herself. The guilt was unbareable. What was she to do when it was over? She couldn't go near Dustin or Eddie by anymeans. Not that that would result in anything good anyways. They would simply cast her away, as if she didn't even matter. Which she began to think was true. "_What good have I ever really done?_"

Now it was time for her reign to end. Everyoen else had thier problems to work out. The stress was too mcuh, and Elsa needed to cool off. She wanted to grab Dalliah and get a drink, but by now she would be in deep conversation with Dorian about thier relationship she had just ruined. Afterall, Elsa had been starring at the floor for a good few minutes after Maia stopped talking. _"She didn't even look at Dorian, let alone acknowledge him."_ Elsa had officially become the relationship killer. Now she'd never have anyone, let alone Eddie. They would all run in fear. Like she was a monster or something. But she sure felt like a monster.

A drink alone would have to suffice. Elsa made her way silently to the drink table, and glanced back longingly at the group that still remained. _"That's all I'm good for?"_ Elsa poured herself a glass of ice water, and sat down nearby, staring at the floor again. From the day she sam Maia and Dorian together, she had been waiting for this moment, but now that it was here, she wnted to go back, and never have seen them. _"Why did I have to be in the courtyard that day? Why? Why couldn't it have been someone else. anyone else."_ It was now apparent to Elsa, her lifestyle was destructive. She lived for ruining lives. For breaking heart. hurting feelings. What kind of life was that? Soemthing had to change. But now was not the time for apologies. There was a lot of drama about to go down. Much more than Elsa had expected. There was going to be a war amongst the students. Everyone against Elsa.

Now the whole entourage had heard the news, not her intended audience, but what could she have done? she couldn't stop and tell them to leave. Now some people she didn't even know hated her. They had to. Who couldn't? _"Thank god for Dalliah/"_ The only thing she could think about now. Elsa had never done anything for Dalliah except share gossip, and she had been an amazing friend. Now she was ruining her relationship. Yet, Dalliah had stood behind her, and did what she said she would. She backed Elsa up, even when it was her who was going to get hurt along the way, and she knew it. _"I don't deserve her/"_

Maia:

Maia didn't make any effort to stem the flow of tears running down her face; It wasn't as if anyone was there to see her crying. And even if there was someone watching, she didn't care. Why should she? She had just lost her boyfriend. That was enough to worry about right then.

Maia didn't notice Dustin approaching her, until she felt his warm hands rest on her shoulders. _...What?_ This wasn't right. He was supposed to despise her now. Even she hated herself just then. How could be so... understanding? This just made even more tears fall, and at a faster rate. She _wanted_ him to shun her for what she'd done. She had become her own worst enemy in only one night. That was horrible.

_"Maia..."_

_Shut up! Just shut up!_ Her mind screamed, but she remained silent. Dustin was too good. Way too good for her. He deserved better, someone who could fully devote themself to him. She couldn't bear it. This was crazy. _Dustin_ was crazy for coming to comfort her. She couldn't honestly say she would've done the same thing.

_"Maia... it's..."_

She would die if he said it was 'okay'. Literally, throw herself off the Astronomy Tower. It was not okay. It was so far from okay, what she had done, it was insane. Maia wanted him to yell at her, curse her, anything that showed some sort of anger. She wanted him to hate her! _Why_ doesn't _he hate me?_ She found herself thinking.

Maia was just about to shrug Dustin's hands off of her shoulders and leave, when he finally said, _"Please... Please tell me you love me."_

_Oh... my God._ Maia was shocked. Was that all he wanted to hear? Would three words fix everything? They couldn't possibly. And for that matter, did she even love Dustin? She couldn't stand it. Love was such a powerful word, and declaring that she felt that way toward him... Well, it frightened her. If she couldn't even commit to him now, how was she going to... Love him? It sounded strange, and slightly perverted even to herself. Love was supposed to be long lasting, with no warranty. Could she give that to him? Could she ever learn to be comfortable with saying, "I love you." It was something she just couldn't picture herself saying, to anyone but her family members.

Maia turned to face Dustin, with tears still streaming down her face. She just couldn't say it, and end up hurting them both again. That was unthinkable. She wouldn't allow that to happen.

"I..." She was encouraging herself silently, trying to get the words to come. What was wrong with her? She _never_ got scared. This was insane. "Can't." Was what ended up leaving her lips.

"I just... Can't. I can't say those powerful words, and then just end up hurting both of us again. That would be horrible beyond compare." Maia looked up into Dustin's beautiful gray eyes. She couldn't risk breaking his heart, if she hadn't already done so.

"I'm sorry, Dustin... It's just that saying... What you want me to say... It... It frightens me..." Maia whispered the last bit. That was hard for her to admit. The fact she had some... Commitment problems was difficult enough for her to say, but admitting she was afraid? That was very hard. It wounded her pride immensely.

Maia sighed, her breathing shaky. She wanted to tell Dustin how much she cared for him, but just didn't really know how to without saying the words she dreaded so very much. The words that practically bonded her to him... forever. Now _that_ freaked her out. Maia wanted to keep Dustin... But wasn't sure she could. If things kept going the way they were currently, she might just be single by the end of night.

Dalliah:

_Don't apologize to me!_ Dalliah wanted to scream. _Not when I feel like this, not when I act like this. I don't deserve it._ She had calmed down, the tantrum, fit for a really angry person, who had been sure of everything, passed. She felt exhausted, for unexplainable reasons, really. What was really amazing for Dalliah was the way Maia had let all of that information escape, it was scary how thoroughly she apologized, not leaving a bit of doubt, Maia had to be one of the most honest people Dalliah had encountered.

_But why so much? What about shame, fear, what's at stake, doesn't that matter?_ But Maia walked off, Dustin chasing behind her. _And Dustin didn't really look mad either. He was probably just worried about Maia._ He wasn't mad. That could be the most confusing about this whole situation. Then again, Dalliah didn't feel real anger, just maybe a bit of irritation toward this mess, and Dorian.

Yet Dorian, Dalliah just wanted to hold him, have him wrap his arms around her. 

_He turned to look at Dalliah instead. "She's right, I suppose," he said in a low voice, perfectly aware of the fact that Mackenzie and Eddie could still be around. But his face was a tiny bit troubled, all the same. "You do know I love you, right? All of this --" he waved a hand in the air "-- all of it happened before I'd even met you."_

"I should have known, should have been sure, before Elsa . . ." _Told me, asked me to do something for her, pulled me into a little web of confusion, but wait,_ Dalliah turned her head to look at the people around her, but Elsa couldn't be seen. "Dorian, would you be angry with me if I left you here for a moment? It was almost a pleading tone of voice, but Dalliah would never plead, "I just really have to go see if my friend's alright." Elsa was her best friend, and Dalliah wanted to see if she was okay.

Mackenzie:

_"My stupidity is being shown for everyone to see, my friend." Maia replied, eyes dark._ Mackenzie gave her friend a questioning look. _No...It's not true. Maia wouldn't risk her relationship like this. She didn't kiss Dorian. She wouldn't do that_, Mackenzie thought as Maia's words went over and over through her mind.

Mackenzie was about to question Maia further, but stopped when Dustin began to speak _"I want to know what's going on here. Maia, please..." _Mackenzie eyes darted back to Maia. She was also curious about what was going on. She gave Zach a worried glance. Whatever Maia was about to say wasn't going to be good news.

_"What Elsa said is true, Dustin..." She paused, then added, "I did kiss Dorian... And it's all my fault. I ruined everything. I've poisoned our relationship, and everything we have... Well, had. And I don't expect you to forgive me. I understand completely, if you never want to see me again..." _Mackenzie's eyes widened in shock at this confession. It was true. Mackenzie wouldn't have ever imagined that her friend would kiss Dorian. Especially when she just got involved in a relationship with Dustin. 

_"Dalliah..." Maia simply stated the girl's name, both her tone and facial expression unreadable. "I would like to apologize to you... For putting your relationship with Dorian in any sort of danger. I never meant to cause any trouble, but the blame for this entire disaster cannot be placed upon anyone but me .So, again, I'm sorry for any pain that my stupidity and selfishness has caused you. I sincerely hope that you, and Dorian, can put this all behind you and not let it ruin your relationship."_ Mackenzie stood there not knowing what to do. She turned to look at Dalliah and Dorian.

_"Excuse me for a moment." She stated calmly, then turned on her heel and began walking swiftly off the dance floor._ Mackenzie thought about going after Maia for a moment, but when Dustin went she immediately stopped. _They need to talk alone_, She told herself.

_"You do know I love you, right? All of this --" he waved a hand in the air "-- all of it happened before I'd even met you." _Mackenzie heard Dorian say. _love her?_ Mackenzie doubted that Dorian truly loved Dalliah, but then again who was she to judge?

Mackenzie turned to Dorian glaring at him angrily. For some reason she doubted this was all Maia's fault. _Dorian must have done something to do this…_

"Dorian, I might be way out of line in saying this, although I doubt I am, but you are an arrogant jerk for just standing there while Maia apologized for all of that. For Some reason I'm thinking that what happened wasn't all her fault. And how could you just stand there while she took the blame for everything. Again, I don't know the whole story, but you could have said something…" Mackenzie said angrily, the whole time keeping her gaze on Dorian.

Mackenzie turned back to Zach. She wondered if he knew what was going on. "Well that was Maia, and her boyfriend Dustin," She said. "Sorry about all of this," Mackenzie said giving him a small smile. "Apparently something happened with Maia and Dorian."

Elsa:

Go back, Go back. To a time where everything was perfect and green. No relationships. No cheating. No lying. No problems. That's where elsa wanted to be. Back. Never having seen Maia and Dorian together. Then everything would have worked out. Dorian would be with Dalliah, and Maia would be with Dustin. Elsa would be happy, and on better terms with everyone. But that was over. It was a new age. She had seen Maia and Dorian together. She had told them about it. She had exploited it. She had broken up Maia and Dustin. She had broken up Dalliah and Dorian.

The only thing that may have calmed Elsa down was Dalliah's words of comfort. Seeing that she had migrated from the group, she came over to talk to Elsa. Though there was nothing to talk about. Things didn't go as planned. Or did they? They had been planning for complete chaos afterall. And is this wasn't chaos, Elsa didn't know what was. She just wanted to go back. Back. Back. Back.

Well, now she'd have to comfront Dalliah. Surely she had something to say about everything. "How is everyone doing Dalliah?" She asked. Only this time she was truely concerned. She wasn't after thier pain, she was after thier well-being. She did really want them all to be happy again.

_"Why had I done such a thing?"  
"Why?"_

"Why did I do that? why did I have to hurt everyone again?"

Dorian:

_"I should have known, should have been sure, before Elsa . . ."_

Dorian simply nodded. Elsa was the one who had started this mess, in his opinion. He was trying to forget, to convince himself that this was all her fault. It was her fault that she'd spread around the fact that he'd kissed Maia that day on the grounds.

_"Dorian, would you be angry with me if I left you here for a moment? I just really have to go see if my friend's all right."_

"Why would I be angry? Go ahead," he said in a gentle tone. "I'll wait."

What he really wanted to do was sort out all of his own personal feelings. In withdrawing his observational skills, he failed to realize that Mackenzie was still present -- and glaring at him -- until she began to speak. _Great. Left alone with Maia's best friend who hates me. Perfect._

_"Dorian, I might be way out of line in saying this, although I doubt I am, but you are an arrogant jerk for just standing there while Maia apologized for all of that. For some reason I'm thinking that what happened wasn't all her fault. And how could you just stand there while she took the blame for everything. Again, I don't know the whole story, but you could have said something…"_

He glowered at the girl. "How dare you," he snarled. "Do you honestly think I didn't want to say anything? I didn't want to put her through all of this! Everything just happened too fast; if Rodare hadn't chased after her like that I would have gone, and I'm not going now because we both know there'll be a fight if I do."

Dorian's emerald eyes narrowed. "I still love her."

Dalliah:

"Thanks." Dalliah smiled quickly before walking over to Elsa. Dalliah felt bad for the girl, it was her plan, and it didn't go well. At least, what she had wanted hadn't went well. Elsa was obviously not with Eddie, and Dustin had just chased after Maia.

"How is everyone doing Dalliah?"

"Everyone, hmm," Dalliah bit her lower lip in mock thought, "well, everyone is having a pretty sucky time with this. Because, as you can see, Dustin and Maia are no longer here, and I don't know about everyone else." Her mouth changed into a sympathetic smile, she was not good at this. "But I'm fine." Dalliah offered.

"But you, must be feeling like crap," Maybe she had a secret talent for sympathizing; or maybe that was the way she saw it. Dalliah didn't know, and didn't usually care, about others, and any opinions of theirs' that they might have. Not usually, anyway. There was a handful of people, but other than that, none.

"Why did I do that? Why did I have to hurt everyone again?"

"You did it, because, you desperately like a boy, and you want him to like you back." Dalliah said, "I would have done the same. Fortunately, I didn't really have to." Okay, Dalliah had to admit, that deserved a gagging motion or something. _Okay, what movie did I just step out of?_

_Back to getting Elsa normal . . ._ "Look, you were trying to fight for something you wanted, it just, didn't go the right way. You tried." Dalliah nodded encouragingly, _say 'yes' please Elsa . . . Agree, please. Say you get it. _She was probably not going to announce Elsa's little mistake, the one she forgot when telling Dalliah. Oh, yeah, the kiss, had occurred _before_ Dorian had met Dalliah. He didn't cheat on her. Maia cheated on Dustin.

Elsa:

For Eddie. Dalliah was right. This wasn't the normal Elsa. This just wasn't her. It was like a mask she had put on her face. The normal Elsa would ahve enjoyed this moment more than any other. She would have rubbed it in everyone's faces, and gone on like it was a great day. It was time to put all this sadness behind her. It wasn't Elsa's relationship that went down the drain afterall. And apparently it wasn't Dalliah's either. Though she didn't know that quite yet.

"You're right. Why do I feel so bad? I should be proud." Now all Elsa concerned herself with was what was going on with Dorian and Dalliah now, and where was Eddie? Who cares about Dustin and Maia. They can work things out on thier own. Elsa had done her part, and she was going to leave them to pick up the pieces now. 

She stood. "I'm going back over there." Elsa tunred. She had forgotten something important. "What's going to happen with Dorian? Are you over?" She would probably go back to feelign terrible if they didn't work out. It would be her fault afterall. Nothing she could do about it now though, except be sad. Though Dalliah didn't seem the least bit worried for herself. Or angry for that matter. Though it was liekly the feelign had setteled over the past week or so she had known.

Had Dorian's speech really changed her mind? Elsa couldn't hear a word, but she kenw he had to be doin some explaining. He did let Maia take all the blame, and her best friend was right there. Not to mention Dorian's girlfriend. No way he could have kept his mouth shut. He wasn't the type.

But Elsa still couldn't see in him what Dalliah seemed to. He was everything she couldn't stand. Her number one requirement in a man would be undying devotion. Dorian would give up. Once he had her entangled, she woke him up at 4 am to ask for a sandwhich, he'd roll over and go back to bed. What's there to love in that?

Though it was also apparent that Elsa's man was going to be whipped to the bone. Mabey that's why it hasn't quite worked out with Eddie... Men like to be in charge, but Elsa demanded the pants. Or more like comtrolled them. They were her pants. A one woman shoe, with the man along for the ride.

Eddie:

It was obvious that something big was going on, therefore, Eddie kept himself a bit in the background. Somehow, with Dalliah and Elsa and Dorian there, and all the others for that matter, Eddie knew it would turn out to be nasty. It was a cold, flat moment. Everyone was tense and worried. _Elsa_. Eddie turned to her before looking at Maia as she spoke the horrid words.

_What Elsa said is true, Dustin... I did kiss Dorian. _

Eddie froze up at what he heard. Had it been correct? Had he heard correctly? Instinctively, Eddie's grip on Sam's hand tightened slightly. He had to keep himself from bursting. Eddie turned to glare at Elsa, but instead he found himself sending Maia a dirty look. As much as he hated to admit it, but in that moment, no matter how much Maia apologized, Eddie disliked her more than Elsa. And that took something.

Even though Elsa had dropped the bomb about saying it, she'd actually spoken the truth. Although a cruel way of dumping it, Eddie found the action itself more cruel than the speaking. It was just, not to believe.

Eddie knew he had little experience with girls, but overall, as a person he weren't sure that he'd be able to go back to the way things had been if it had been him. That's why he was so surprised when Dustin was able to move and run after Maia, who apparently had left. Eddie pitied her, not only because her words was seemingly falling apart, but because of what she'd done. 

It was just plain cruel in his eyes.

Eddie loosened his grip on Sam's hand, realizing he'd be crushing it. As she stood there, taking in the moment, he found himself wanting to blame it all on Elsa, but he just couldn't. Even though it seemed that Eddie hated Elsa with every part of his body, he still found it in himself to pity her. Therefore, glancing at Elsa before she left, he sent her an unreadable look. It was neither angry nor happy. It was just, a look, a glance.

Turning around, Eddie faced Sam. "In theory, I should probably see Dustin and see if he's okay, but I'd rather not," Eddie said darkly, although a bit thoughtful. Still holding on to Sam's hand, Eddie willed a small smile on his face. "Let's go, there's nothing for us to do than to wait and see," he said softly and let a small sigh escape his lips, as if tired of all this drama. He'd pictured this night to be so good, him and Sam. However, as gloomy as this night had started, Eddie still hoped there was enough time to correct that...

Dustin:

_"I just... Can't. I can't say those powerful words, and then just end up hurting both of us again. That would be horrible beyond compare. I'm sorry, Dustin... It's just that saying... What you want me to say... It... It frightens me..."_

Dustin calmed his inner emotions as he finally began to accept what had happened. Only now, after the shock and the longing to comfort the one who had been hurt, did he realize that he was the one who'd been injured the most. Only now did the anger grow in the pit of his stomach. He knew why she couldn't say it back.

"Who started all of this?" he asked quietly, searching her dark eyes and praying that it hadn't been Maia wanting to kiss Dorian. That would throw him over the edge.

"Tell me it was all his fault, Maia. Tell me he forced himself onto you. And... tell me you hated it." He couldn't believe such words were coming from his mouth. He was Dustin, the cool, laidback, carefree one in the school. He never had any worries. Never had any pain. And he was pushing toward denial again so he'd never have any pain in his life at all.

Maia:

_"Who started all of this?"_ Dustin asked quietly, searching her dark eyes.

Maia stayed silent. She didn't want to speak. And if she had, no words came to her that would make the situation sound less... Cruel and backstabbing. No words could describe how she was feeling right then. All she knew was that nothing compared to this. Nothing.

_"Tell me it was all his fault, Maia. Tell me he forced himself onto you. And... tell me you hated it."_

She had never, not in a million years, anticipated that her kissing Dorian would hurt Dustin this much. Then again, she hadn't ever really known the depth of his affections for her. Well, now she knew. Love? He loved her? Maia was still having trouble grasping that concept. What was the difference between love and infatuation? Was there a difference?

Maia shook herself inwardly, and tried to clear her mind of questions, in order to reply to the ones Dustin had aimed her way. She couldn't say it was all Dorian's fault. She was the only one to blame, and that was the painful truth. And she couldn't say he had forced her... At least, not both times. Another thought crossed her mind... How would Dustin react if he knew it had happened _twice_? She didn't want to know.

And the last thing he wanted Maia to say... It was the one she couldn't answer truthfully... Without feeling like a complete slut. Which, in a way, she was. Maia groaned inwardly, for she could have prevented every second of this. If she had only restrained herself, she would still be with Dustin... But not in this situation. They would be at the ball. Having a wondeful time with all of their friends.

But she couldn't bring herself to blame Dorian, and say that she had hated kissing him. That would be a lie, and she was trying to be completely truthful. Honesty was her new middle name... Which she detested. It would be so easy to just lie to Dustin, tell him that Dorian had forced her, and that it had been the worst thirty seconds of her life... _No._ She thought, pushing any thoughts of lying to Dustin from her mind. Lying would not solve anything. Lying would not rebuild their relationship. Lying couldn't and wouldn't heal a wounded heart...

The tears had stopped streaming, but the grief was still there. Engraved into her heart, where it would be... Forever. Always there to remind her, with a stab of pain, guilt and regret. Haunting her. Making it absolutly sure that she would never forget her mistake. Never. Maia would remember this, and regret it every day for the rest of her life. The only thing she could hope for, and use as something to hold on to, was the certain fact that she had learned something from her mistake. And would definitely use better judgement, if the conflict arose again. Never again would she knowingly cause another person such excruciating pain, especially when they had spent their entire life sailing through without any.

Maia looked back up at Dustin, lifting her gaze from the fertile ground below. Her eyes refelected all the pain and sorrow she was feeling, within their layers an epic tale of happiness and love, tragedy and despair, spite and betrayal, could be deciphered. It was all there... One just needed to look deep enough for it to be revealed.

"Dustin..." She said despairingly, feeling trying to speak, trying to clarify the situation, was useless. "I can't say it was his fault. I can't tell you he forced me. And... I can't tell you I hated it. Not truthfully. Not without lying to you." Maia paused, stabling herself, then continued, "And lying to you... Is the last thing I want to do right now. It won't fix anything. Sure, it would make things a whole lot easier... But not better. Building up our shattered relationship based on a ton of lies would only severe the gash I know that I've so cruelly caused to imperfect your innocent heart."

Maia felt as if she were writing a poem. One that was so real and meaningful to her, it was causing an endless amount of grief. But this was not a poem, a creation of her overactive, wild imagination. This was cold, harsh reality. And she was finally getting a taste of it. The sharp talons of merciless fate had finally dug into and tore apart her fairytale world. Sent it crashing down, for her to watch helplessly. And now, she was going to be crushed by the falling pieces.

"And I also know that somewhere, deep beneath all of the compassion and understanding you are showing toward me, which I really don't deserve, is white hot anger. Rage that is fighting against your self-control to be released." She paused, letting her words sink in slowly. This was going to be tough... But it was necessary, by her standards. If only there was an easy way of doing it...

"So, therefore, I believe that it may be wise for us to... At least give each other time to sort out our own separate emotions, because I know that I'm feeling quite confused right now. And... There's something else."

Maia felt as though she were making an elaborate speech to all of Hogwarts or something. This was much more challenging than she had originally thought.

"I'm not only afraid of expressing how much I care for you, but of hurting you... again. I fear that if, somehow, we manage to sort through this and work things out... That I'll only end up hurting not only us, but others, too. I don't want to cause any innocent person grief... But doing so to you is my greatest concern." Maia could feel frustration lurking near the edges of her calmness, and was beginning to feel desperate to get her point across.

"What I'm saying is... I'm not good enough for you, Dustin! I don't deserve someone so loyal, trusting, understanding, loving, kind, and just completely amazing! You, though, you deserve someone so much better! Someone who could give you so much more than what I have to offer." She was pleading with him now, her tone becoming increasingly desperate, "Someone who can completely devote themself to you, without any problems or doubts. Someone exactly the opposite of what I'm like, and will do all the things I've failed to. So many others could give that to you! ...But not me. I just don't deserve to have you. But somone out there does. I know it."

Maia felt a hot tear slide down her cheek, as the cool, gentle breeze ruffled her hair. It was time. She had to finish what she had started.

"I want you to find that someone. Please, please listen to what I'm telling you, because it's the truth. You don't know how good you are. I mean it. And now, it's time for me to leave you. It's time for me to go, so you can move on, and try to forget all the pain I have caused you. This _is_ for the better, Dustin. I'm doing this for you, because... I really do love you." She said, even surprising herself. Composing herself quickly, Maia removed his warm, comforting hands from her shoulders, and took a step back. "Please, don't come after me."

With that, Maia turned and began walking away, her pace becoming increasingly faster until she was running, distancing herself from him. She darted past the ball area, and soared by the refreshment table. She did not to look toward Mackenzie, Dorian, and eveyone else, simply ran toward the castle until she was sitting on the top step, gasping for breath while crying. This was truly the worst night of her life.

Dustin:

_"I can't say it was his fault. I can't tell you he forced me. And... I can't tell you I hated it. Not truthfully. Not without lying to you." Maia paused, stabling herself, then continued, "And lying to you... Is the last thing I want to do right now. It won't fix anything. Sure, it would make things a whole lot easier... But not better. Building up our shattered relationship based on a ton of lies would only severe the gash I know that I've so cruelly caused to imperfect your innocent heart."_

_My… what?_ Dustin was stunned. Maia, the most important person in his life aside from Eddie and his family… what had she done? It helped that she wanted to be truthful in all of this, but a bolt of terror also ripped through him. She hadn't hated it, Dorian hadn't forced her, and it wasn't completely his fault. Dustin felt powerless. What was he going to do?

Had it been a normal conversation between the two of them, he would have burst out laughing at her last sentence. Everyone who knew him knew that he was anything but innocent. But this was different. And he couldn't think of anything to do. It wasn't funny this time. He stood and listened, trying to take it all in.

_"And I also know that somewhere, deep beneath all of the compassion and understanding you are showing toward me, which I really don't deserve, is white hot anger. Rage that is fighting against your self-control to be released."_

As she said this, Dustin felt something building in his chest. It really was threatening to consume him, but he forced it to stay silent. He had a feeling Maia had more to say. Nevertheless, it scared him again. She knew him so well… or was it just obvious? Had she really been putting him on the entire time?

_"So, therefore, I believe that it may be wise for us to... At least give each other time to sort out our own separate emotions, because I know that I'm feeling quite confused right now. And... There's something else. I'm not only afraid of expressing how much I care for you, but of hurting you... again. I fear that if, somehow, we manage to sort through this and work things out... That I'll only end up hurting not only us, but others, too. I don't want to cause any innocent person grief... But doing so to you is my greatest concern."_

The last statement melted his heart, just like the first time he'd met her. He couldn't believe that all she wanted from all of this was to not hurt him anymore. Just like that, he felt the anger dissipating. He wanted to hold her, tell her everything would be okay. It might not be okay for awhile, but things would get back to normal eventually. However, he did agree that they needed time to sort their emotions out.

_"What I'm saying is... I'm not good enough for you, Dustin! I don't deserve someone so loyal, trusting, understanding, loving, kind, and just completely amazing! You, though, you deserve someone so much better! Someone who could give you so much more than what I have to offer."_ She was pleading with him now, her tone becoming increasingly desperate, _"Someone who can completely devote themselves to you, without any problems or doubts. Someone exactly the opposite of what I'm like, and will do all the things I've failed to. So many others could give that to you! ...But not me. I just don't deserve to have you. But someone out there does. I know it."_

Dustin shook his head, nearly overcome with the intense emotion that emanated from her. "No, Maia. I don't care about what I deserve. I don't care if you think you aren't worth my time, because you are. I want you. Problems – problems happen. We can get through it together. You can do this. I'm with you."

It hurt him to say it, but it was true. He'd be angry later; probably knock Dorian a good one in the face or better. But he couldn't live with himself if Maia was going to end up in complete despair and feeling worthless.

_"I want you to find that someone. Please, please listen to what I'm telling you, because it's the truth. You don't know how good you are. I mean it. And now, it's time for me to leave you. It's time for me to go, so you can move on, and try to forget all the pain I have caused you. This is for the better, Dustin. I'm doing this for you, because... I really do love you."_ She said, even surprising herself. Composing herself quickly, Maia removed his warm, comforting hands from her shoulders, and took a step back. _"Please, don't come after me."_

She was being dramatic. He recognized that. But who wasn't? He wouldn't fault her for it. But he would fault her for thinking that she didn't deserve anything when she really did love him.

He stood looking after her, not bothering to go back in to the ball, as she suddenly began running back up to the castle. She was afraid, but so was he. It would take him probably a day, maybe more to absorb what had happened, but then he didn't know what he'd do. Would he be able to even talk to her again? He didn't know.


End file.
